Example embodiments of the inventive concepts relate to a card reader. For example, at least some example embodiments relate to a card reader and/or a method of operating the card reader.
A near field communication (NFC) is usually performed between a card and a reader. The card may be built in a mobile device such as a smart phone for a contactless electronic approval.
An NFC protocol is one field of conventional RFID (radio frequency identification) and can operate a terminal fitted with a tag as an active mode. As a result, the NFC protocol can perform not only a function as a tag but also a reader reading a tag, a writer inputting information into a tag and P2P between terminals.
An NFC protocol is prescribed by standard in ISO 18092 and can perform a near field communication using various frequency signals such as 125 kHz, 135 kHz, and 900 MHz besides 13.56 MHz. The NFC protocol can support a reader such as an ISO 14443 TYPEA (Mifare), a TYPEB, a TYPEF (felica) and an IOS 15693 TYPEV and a card such as a TYPEA, a TYPEB, a TYPEF, and a TYPEV.
Recently, a size of an antenna of a card reader using an NFC protocol may be reduced. By using a small size antenna, a distance that a card can be detected using a card detection pulse is reduced. Thus, the maximum wireless communication distance that a card can be detected may be reduced.